Consumer appliances, such as refrigerator appliances, oven appliances, microwave appliances, dishwasher appliances, etc., often utilize one or more lights are often provided with a control panel or control panel as part of a display. By illuminating, the lights may generally communicate relevant information regarding the appliance. Such lights may be useful in providing information, but can be unsightly or undesirable, especially when the lights are not illuminated. For instance, the lights may extend forward from the rest of the user interface, interrupting an otherwise smooth surface. Even if the lights do not extend forward from the rest of the display, a user may be able to see where the light is positioned, even when the light is not illuminated. Such visual disruptions may cheapen the appearance and perceived quality of the appliance. Moreover, the visibility of the light when unilluminated may be distracting and hinder the efficacy of light. For instance, a user may take less notice of the light when illuminated because the light is visible even when unilluminated. Furthermore, the visibility of the unilluminated light may cause confusion for a user, who might believe that the light is intended to be a button that can be depressed (e.g., in order to control the appliance).
Separate or together with the above-described lights, many consumer appliances are designed to include one or more sensors mounted on or near a display to communicate with users, other appliances, or the surrounding environment. For each sensor, a hole may be provided through the display to permit the passage of signals, such as light. However, this can cause a number of problems. For instance, the hole creates a visual disruption in the user interface. Furthermore, the visibility of the hole may cause confusion for a user, who might believe that a light or button should be present at the location of the hole.
As a result, further improvements for appliance user interfaces may be desirable. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a user interface to address one or more of the above-described issues.